Selenium cell door closer



Sept. 8, 1931. L. .17 KINNARD ET AL 1,322,152

SELENIUM CELL DOOR CLOSER Filed Jan. 18, 1929 INVENTORS. 'Au/fier J ff/rmara X James Dun/0,0.

' ATTORNEY v Patented Sept. 8, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlca LUTHER J. KINNARD, OF CHICAGO, AND JAMES DUNLOP, F PARK RIDGE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO WESTINGHOUSE ammo ELEVATOR COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS snnnmuu can. noon cnosna Application filed January 18, 1929. Serial No. 88,483.

ticularly to safety apparatus for use in con- 'vide for-reopening the elevator door or gate nection with such doors or gates.

The object of our invention, in general, is the provision of a door-operating apparatus that shall be simple and eflicient in operation and capable of being readily and economically manufactured, installed and maintained.

A more specific object of our invention is to provide for preventing an elevator door or gate from closing while a person is in the entrance to the elevator.

It is also an object of our invention to pro and retaining it in such open position for a predetermined length of time when anyone steps into the entrance to the elevator while the door is in the act of closing.

Other objects of our invention will, in part, be obvious and will, in part, appear hereinafter.

For an illustration of one of the various forms our invention may take, reference may. be had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation I of the manner in which light-sensitive cells and cooperating light sources may be employed in connection with a power-operated elevator door or gate for effecting a safe operation thereof in accordance with 'our invention.

Fig. 2 is a view, in front'elevation, of the entrance to an elevator, illustratin the ositions in which the light-sensitive ceTlsan the cooperatin light sources, illustrated in Fig. 1, may be isposed; and

v Fig. 3 is a sectional view 'taken along line III-J11 of Fig. 2.

The drawlngs illustrate an elevator car C hatchway entrance E As shown, a gate or as suspended by a cable Ca and standing at a ing the car entrance, while a pair of sliding doors 2 are provided for closing the hatchway entrance. v

The means for operating the car gate 1 comprises a. door-closing magnet 3 and a dooropening magnet 4, the'circuits of which are selectively controlled by a door relay 5. The

- maybe substituted therefor. Inasmuch as the door 2 in the landing doorway E may be conneced to the car gate 1 for operation, therewith in any usual manner, a specific description thereof has been omitted.

As shown, the circuit for the door-opening magnet 4 is not only connected in series with the contact members 6 of the door relay 5 and the contact members a of the cam-operated switch 6, but it is also connected in series with the normally closed contact members of a control relay 8. The relay 8 is controlled by the'elevator-control circuits (not/shown) in such manner that it will .be energized to keep its contact members open while the car is running and will be deenergized to close its contact members when the car stops.

'Therfore, the circuit for 0 min the car gate can be completed only w en I t e car stops. If it were not for the control relay 8 the camoperated switch 6 would complete the circuit for the door-opening magnet l and cause the.

car. Therefore, we have devised a means for preventing the gate from closinguntil the doorway, or entrance, to the car is clear. This means comprises a suitablelight-sensitivedevice, such as a photoelectric cell 10,

and acooperating source of light, such as an electric lamp 11, that are mounted in the entrance to the car 0 for operating a safety relay 12, the contact members of which are included in the circuit for the door-operatin mechanism.

he light-sensitive cell 10 may be of any suitable type, such as a selenium or other cell havingithe photo-electric property of changing its resistance to the passage of electrlc current, or having similar characteristics, undervaried conditions of light.

mounted in one side of the frame of the elevator doorway, while the cooperating lamp 11 is disposed at the opposite side of the door way frame in such manner and at such a height from the floor that light from the lamp will act upon the cell when the doorway is clear but will be prevented from shining upon the cell when anyone is in the entrance to the car.

As an additional safeguard, a similar light-sensitive cell 15 and an operatinglight source 16, are mounted in similar positions in the frame of the hatchway door 2 and con -v lation with the contact members of the relay 12 in the circuit for the door-operating apparatus. I 1

By reason of the characteristics of the light-sensitive cells 10 and 15, the safety relays 12 and 17 will remain deenergized so long as the entrance to the car is not clear and thereby prevent the door relay 5 from being energized to effect the closing of the car gate 1.

The invention may be understood best from an assumed operation of the apparatus. Assuming that the car C has come to a stop at a fioor, then the control relay 8 will be deenergized to close its contact members to partially complete a circuit for the door-opening magnet '4 and the lamps 11 and 16. At the same time, the cam-op rated switch 6 will be moved to a closed pos tion by the cam 7 on thecar C, and the door-opening magnet 4 will be energized to move the car door or gate 1 from a closed to an open position by the completion of a circuit that extends from supply conductor L1, through conductor 20, the coil of door-closing magnet 4, conductor 21, the contact members b of door relay 5, conductor 22, the contact members a of the cam-operated switch 6, conductor 23, the contact members of control relai 8, and conductor 24, to supply conductor a junction point 26, thence, in parallel,

through'the lamps 11 and 16, to a junction point 27, and thence, throu h conductor 28, the contact members 6 of t e cam-operated switch 6, conductor 23. thei ggcontact memis arran e bers of the control relay 8 and conductor 24, to supply conductor L2. Assuming that the light rovided by the lamps 11 and 16 is prevented from shining upon the light-sensitive cells 10 and 15 by passengers passing between the lights and the cells as they enter and leave the car, no current for energizing the safety relays 12 and .17 will be permitted to pass I through the light-sensitive cells 10 and 15. As shown, the llght-SBIlSitlVG' cell 10 1s.

However, as soon as the assengers clear the entrance to the car, the light from the lamps 11 and 16 will effect a change in the light-semsitive cells 10 and 15 that will cause them to permit the passage of sufiicient current to energize the safety relays 12 and 17 to complete a circuit for energizing the door relay and effect a closing of the elevator door which circuit extends from sup ly conductor L1, through conductor 30, to 8.]11I1Cti011 point 31, one branch extending through conductor 32'. The coil of safety relay 12, conductor 33, the light sensitive cell 10 and conductors 34 and 35, to supply conductor L2, and the other branch extending from the junction point 31, by way of conductor 36, the coil of safety relay 17, conductor 37, light-sensitive cell 15 and conductors 38 and 35, to supply conductor L2. I

The energization of the safety relays 12 and 17- causes them to close their contact members to complete a circuit for energizing the door relay 5 by way of a circuit that extends from sup 1y conductor L1, through a conductor 40, the coil of door relay 5, conductor 41, the contact members of safety relay 12, conductor 42, the contact members of safety relay 17 conductor 44, the contact members a of the cam-operated switch 6, conductor 23, the contact members of control urelay 8 and conductor 24, to supply conduc- It should be noted, however, that the door relay 5 is rovided with adash pot 50 that g to prevent for a predetermined riod 0 time, the door relay from opening its contact members 6 to deenergize the dooropening magnet 4, and from closin its contact-members a. for ener 'zing the oor-closing magnet 3. The de ay provided by the dashpot'50 prevents the magnet 3 from eflecting the closin o ened' and t ereby gives the passengers of the door as soon as it is p enty of time to start entering -or leavin I;

the car when it comes to a stop and also prodoorway to get on the car.

vides plenty of time for clearing the doorway after the passengers have passed through it.

passenger steps into the entrance to the car and 16 to the light-sensitive cells 10 and 15,

he will intercept the light from the lamps 11 thereby causing the cells to cut oil the flow of current to the safety relay 12 and 17. The deenergization of the safety relays 12 and 17 will open their contact members to deenergize the door relay 5. The deenergization of the door relay 5Will open its contact members a to deenergize the door-closing magnet 3 and energize the door-opening relay 4 to reopen the door 1. After the door 1 is reopened, the dash pot 50 will prevent the operation of the door relay 5 and the reenergization of the door-closingmagnet 3 for a predetermined period of time, and, therefore, the door will not close until the expiration of a predetermined time after the entrance to the car is cleared.-

Assuming further that all the passengers have cleared the entrance to the car and that thedoor-closing magnet 3 has closed the door, then, as the car leaves the floor at which the stop was made, the cam-operated switch 6 will move to an open position, and the control 'fcircuits for the door-opening magnet 4 and the door-closing magnet 3 are both open, the

I door will remain in its closed position until the car makes another stop, when the control;

relay 8 and switch 6 will again close their (contact-members for completing the circuits for the door-operating mechanism.

Thus, it will be observed that we have provided a door-operating system in which the door is prevented from closing prematurely -.and causing any injury to the passengers While they are enterlng or leavin the car.

While we have illustrated an described only 'one specific'embodiment of our invention, we realize that it is susceptible of wide application and we do not desire to be limited to the precise construction illustrated and described.

We claim as our invention 1. The .combmatlon with means foroper- 'ating a closure 111' a doorway, ofmeans, in-

cluding a light-sensitive device anda source of light, operably responsive to the presence of a person in the doorway for controlling the closure operating means.

2. The combination with means for closing the, circuit for "disposed in said circult a closure in a doorway, of means, including a light-sensitive device and a light source, operably responsive to the presence of a person in the doorway for preventing the operation of the closure closing means.

3. The combination with means-for closing a closure in a doorway, of means, including a light-sensitive device and a light source, operably responsive to the presence of a person in the doorway for preventing the operation of the closure-closin means until the expiration of a predetermined period after the person leaves the doorway.

4. The combination with means for operating a closure for the entrance of an elevator car operable past a landing, of means, including a light sensitive device and a cooperating light source, operably responsive to the presence of a passenger in the entrance to the car for controlling the closure-operating means, and means operably responsive to the stopping of the car at thelanding for rendering the light source effective.

5. The combination with means foroperating a closure for the entrance of an elevator car operable past a landing doorway, of means, including a light-sensitive device and a cooperating light source disposed in the landing doorway, operably responsive to the presence of a passenger in the landing doorway for .controlling the closure-operating means.

6. The combination with means for operating a closure for the entrance of an elevator .car and a closure for a cooperating landing doorway, of means,'including a light-sensitive device and acooperating light source disposed in the landing doorway, operably responsive to the presence of a passenger in the landin doorway for controlling the operation 0 both closures.

7.,The combination with means for operating a closure in a doorway, of a light source disposed .at one side of said doorway .in such position as to direct beams of light substantially horizontally across said 'doorway, and means operably responsive to the interruption of said beams of light by the presence of a person in the doorway for con trolling said operating means.

'8. The combination with means for oper-: ating a closure in a doorway, of means, ineluding a light-senstive device and a source of light, operably responsive to the presence of a person in the doorway for causing said closure-operating means to move saidclosure to a full-o en position and retain it in such open positlon until the passenger clears the doorway.

9. The combination with a closure for a doorway, of electrically operated means for closing said closure,a circuit for energizing said operating meansaa light-sensitive device disposed to render said lig ensitive device a]nd Filight source effective to permit the passage of suflicient current through said circuit to effect the energization of said operating means when said doorway is clear.

10. The combination with a closure for a doorway, of electrical means for opening said closure, electrical means for closing said closure, a circuit for each of said opening means and closing means, a switch disposed when deenergized to complete the circuit for energizing the closure opening means and when energized to complete the circuit for effecting the closing of the closure, a circuit for energizing said switch, a light-sensitive device disposed in said switch energizing circuit, and a lightsource disposed to render said light sensitive device effective to permit the passage of suflicient current through said switch circuit to energize said switch when said doorway is clear.

11. The combination with means for operating a closure for a doorway, of a timing device for preventing the closing of said closure fora predetermined period after it is opened, and means, including a light sensitive device and a cooperating light source, operably responsive to the presence of a person in the doorway for causing said operating means to move said closure to a full open position and for resetting the timing device to retain said closure in its re-opened position for a predetermined period.

l2. The combination with means for operating a closure for a doorway, of a timing device for retaining said closure in its open position for a predetermined period after it is opened, means operably responsive to the presence of a person in the doorway for causing said operating means to move said closure to a full open position and for resetting said timing deviceto retain the closure in its re-opened position for a predetermined period after the person leaves the doorway.

13. In a door-operating mechanism, the

combination of a doorframe, closure means for the openin in said frame, instrumentalities for projecting light rays across said opening, power means for operating said closure means, and means sensitive to a variation in the intensity of said light rays for interrupting the movements of said closure means.

14. In a door-operating mechanism, the combination of a door frame, closure means for the opening in said frame, instrumentalities for projecting light rays across said openmg, power means for operating said closure. means, means sensitive to the continuance of light rays for maintaining said power means in door-opening condition and adapted, upon the interrupting of said light rays, for discontinuing the operation of said closure means in the direction in which it is traveling when said interruption occurs.

15. In a closure-operating mechanism, the combination of sliding closure means, power operating mechanism for said closure means, and electric means for automatically rendering said power mechanism in operative upon the presence of a person in the path of said closure.

16. In a closure-operating mechanism, the combination of sliding closure means, power operating means, for said closure. means, and mechanism including a photo electric device effectual upon a reduction of the intensity of the rays of light shining upon said photo electric device for rendering said power means ineffective to close said closure.

17. A device of the character described, comprising a reversible motor having forward and reverse field windings, a circuit for each winding, contacts for each circuit, a movable switch member for closing one or the other of said circuits but not both, said switch being normally biased to a position against one set of contacts, a relay magnet for operating said switch from its biased position to the other contacts and means for producing variations in intensity of current to said relay magnet to shift the current from one field winding circuit to the other.

18. In a door-operating mechanism, the combination of a door frame, closure means for the opening in said frame, power operating means for said closure means, instrumentalities for projecting rays of light from side to side of said opening, means sensitive to the presence of said rays of light for maintaining said power operating means in closure closing operation, said power means being arranged upon an interruption of said rays of light to reverse operation of said power operating means andreturn said closure means to open position. I

19. In combination, a door, means to operate said door, instrumentalities for projecting rays of light 'along a selected transverse path relative to'said door, and means sensitive to a change in the intensity of said rays of light for stopping further movement of said door 'in the direction in which it was traveling.

20. In combination with a doorway, a door therefor, mechanism for moving the door, and automatic means governed bythe presence of an object in the doorway for checking operation of the door by said mechanism before the door contacts with said object.

21. In combination with a doorway, a door therefor,-mechanism for moving .the door, and automatic means for controlling'the operation of said door-moving mechanism governed by the presence of an object in the doorway independent of contact of the door with thatjobject.

22. In combination with an illuminated passageway, a door therefor, and means responsive to changes in the illumination of said passageway for co, trolling the movement of said door.

23. The combination with means for operating a closure for the entrance of an elevator car operable past a landing, of means, including a light sensitive device and a cooperating light source, operably responsive to the presence of a passenger in the entrance to the car for controlling the closure-operating means,

- and means operably responsive to the stepping of the car at the landing for rendering the controlling means effective.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names this 10th day of J anuary, 1929.

LUTHER J. KINNARD. JAMES DUNLOP. 

